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Another Thought
Process Edition:
Hate in Your Blood
Written by: Jay Howard
Rapindustry.com
Disclaimer: This article is strictly based on MY opinion. I realize
that this may not be the feelings of you, the reader. You are entitled to
your opinion on this subject matter.
| “Ripped the package off "Illmatic" and bumped that For my niggaz it was too complex when Nas rhymed I was the only Compton nigga with a "New York State of Mind“- The Game |
Indeed. The words
from The Game that he uttered when he was featured on Nas’s “Hustlers”
(Hip Hop Is Dead) are so simple, yet so meaningful. A lot of people don’t
like The Game for whatever reason or another. However, one thing you have
to admit is the fact that he knows his rap music. From Kool G Rap to Nas to
The Dogg Pound to Dr. Dre, (who he mentions a bit much) Game gives props to
his predecessors and peers. What makes his statement even more profound is
that Game was a fan not an artist when he “ripped the package off Illmatic”,
and even more important he was a West Coast fan bumpin’ a “New York
State of Mind” when it was too complex for a lot of his homies.
As much as that can be said about the violence, drugs, video girls, bad beats,
and corrupt messages that are put out in hip hop, one of the main problems
that plagues our culture is simply : too few keep an open mind. Whether its
fans who only want to listen to artists from a certain region and dissing
those in another (New York artists/fans dissing Down South artists) or fans
just dissin’ a particular style (gangsta rap fans dissing conscious artists)
the game is filled with too much HATE. Point blank.
It is ironic that we have this problem in our culture, because hip hop music
as a whole was considered as just a “noise” and a “passing
fad “when it was introduced to the mainstream. DJs scratching records
and guys in leather coats rapping with big shades, made the rest of the world
collectively scratch their heads and say “What the fuck?” Now in
2007, we discriminate one region or another, simply because we don’t
like the sound of the music that their artists produce. We are almost our
own worst enemies because Hip-Hop is almost to the point where it’s a
Civil War. Some New York heads hate on the South because they say their lyrics
are simplistic and the beats are just bass heavy and all the artists do is
make crunk music. While many in the South hate the New York sound because
it sounds outdated, or they say the “beats don’t bang”. The
West is mostly known for its G funk and laidback, party jams , while artistically
the Midwest (no pun intended) is somewhere in the middle of it all .
Yes, each area has its own distinctive sound and many of their flagship artists
are all very different from each other. However, many rap listeners nowadays
get caught up in only listening to one type of sound, when they are missing
out on great music simply because they discriminate. The key to being a broad
listener is taking the music for “what it is.” For example, the
content of an Underground Kingz (R.I.P. Pimp C) album is pretty much pimpin‘,
riding’, partying’, and street life. The beats are tight and the
lyrics are at times simplistic, but it’s definitely some shit that can
get a party jumpin‘. UGK don’t claim to be the tightest lyricists
nor are they trying to teach you something with conscious rap. They do what
they do and they do it well. However, for every supporter of UGK there are
ten naysayer’s that will say ’that music is ignorant”, or “them
cats ain’t talkin’ about nothing’”. However, I’ll
bet my entire cd collection that out of those haters, most could listen to
the entire Underground Kingz album and find at least one song that they would
bump in their car or dance to at the club. If these rap fans are still stubborn
in their tastes I bet 2 cd collections they would vibe to someone else dancing
to Pimp C and Bun B (ahem the strip club) and wouldn’t have a problem
with the “ignorant shit”. Truly there is a time and place for everything
and UGK is gutter music that you have to “take for what it is.”
One of the most outspoken critics of the game today is Nas. His last album
Hip Hop is Dead is a sonic masterpiece, and is considered by many to be one
of the best, if not the best rap album of 2006. The beats are type tight plus
and Nas brings his “A game” throughout the disc. Its definitely
a classic, but many rap fans might mistake him for being “stuck up”
or trying to go too far over our heads with this release. However, Down South
fans can appreciate this music also, if they too give it a chance. Almost
any fan of music can appreciate Nas’s introspective lyrics and crisp
delivery, and these are just a few of the reasons why he is still one of the
best. Godson is one of the few MCS in the game who can get mainstream love
and still “make you go hmmmmm.”
However, the beauty that lies in Hip-Hop music more so then many other genres
of music is the variety that it offers. Sometimes a fan has to compare listening
to music to something else where we make a choice based on taste such as going
out to eat. . If I want a burger and fries I go to a fast food restaurant,
if I want shrimp fired rice I go to a Chinese restaurant and so on. If I want
to hear some tight complex lyrics and mind-blowing storytelling I listen to
Ghostface, If I want some bugged out shit to drink to I listen to Tha Alkaholiks.
If I want some shit to ride to and bump at a party I peep some Dr. Dre, and
so on. I’m not going to look for a hamburger at a Chinese restaurant,
nor would I expect Young Jeezy to start spittin’’ like Common. However,
there are aspects of Jeezy’s music everyone can relate to and feel. Young
Jeezy is always criticized for not being lyrical and kickin’’’
simplistic shit but he has never claimed to be lyrical, but has always stated
that his music is “motivational and on some real-life shit.” If
you measure him up against other “motivational real shit rappers”
like 50 Cent or others he is one of the best.
Many of the best rappers create music for all sides of the spectrum such as
Jay-Z, and this is precisely why many say they are the best. Jay-Z can easily
drop songs like “Song Cry”, “Takeover” or “Hola Hovito”
all in the same album. These tracks offer a variety of hip hop at its finest
from introspective storytelling , to a battle record, and a party song respectively.
While some artists such as Redman and Too Short mainly stick to what they
do best which in their cases would be bugged out shit and pimpin' respectively.
If we look at the music at this point of view of “it is what it is”
there would be a lot less hate in the game and a lot more open-minded listeners.
I am not saying we should like everything just because its rap, because I
damn sure don’t like Nelly or E-40, and I probably never will. What I
am saying is that just as our mood changes our musical tastes can’t possibly
be the same all the time. Even the strongest East Coast supporter can’t
claim he’s in a “New York State of Mind” 24/7. Sometimes the
Yankee might want to get crunk too. Kids in Chitown that ride the subway with
backpacks should be able to appreciate the stylistic flavor of Snoop Dogg
Down South dudes with gold grilles and 32” rims can listen to Talib Kweli
while bumpin down their block and cats in the West should be able to check
out some Bone without dissing them. Love all over the map could result in
more record sales, more collabos between different type of rappers, and stronger
unity in the Hip -Hop nation.
By the way, UGK’s Underground Kingz gets my vote for rap album of the
year. 2007.
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